Made A Killing (Alex Warren Murder Mysteries Book 1)

by Zach Abrams

  “I think we need to talk, Alex.” Forbes called across. He was holding something in his right hand which reflected light and Alex was fearful of it being a knife.

  “Let the boy go then we can talk.”

  “I don't think so, Alex, young Andrew's my insurance policy. That's why I took the time to collect him in the first place, as a bargaining tool if I was stopped.”

  “He can't help you, Bill. I can't do anything to change things, it's not up to me anymore. Everyone knows it's you we've been looking for. They've got copies of the photos. Stevenson kept backup files in a lock-up off Byres Road. Let the boy go, he's done nothing to you and he can't help you.”

  “Well, I'll need you to do something to help me then, and I'll be keeping Andrew to make sure you do what I want. You owe me, Alex, and it's payback time.”

  “What do you mean? How do I owe you?”

  “I saved you from Stevenson, he really didn't like you. He told me you beat up on him. He wanted me to set you up and I refused.”

  “That hardly means I owe you. Your logic is a bit flawed there. Are you saying because you didn't do something bad to me that I owe you? Most of the planet have never done anything bad to me, do you think I owe all of them too?”

  “That's not the point. Stevenson had it in for you and said he'd let me off if I screwed it up for you. I refused to do it for him and that's why you owe me. He told me you beat him up. Is that true?”

  “I've had my run-ins with him and some weren't too pleasant, but I wouldn't say I beat up on him,” Alex lied.

  “Stevenson said you did. He said you beat him and stole from him.”

  “That's ridiculous. Anyway, this isn't about me, Bill. I want to try and help you but I don't understand how all this came about. Tell me how you got involved.” Alex wanted to play for time knowing reinforcements would be on their way.

  While this confrontation was going on, Sandra had slipped out of the passenger door. Unseen because of the relative darkness, and using the SUV as a shield, she carefully made her way round behind where Forbes was standing. She realised she had the small recording device in her pocket which she always carried for impromptu interviews and she switched it on.

  “You must know most of it already. It all started when the baby died and everything went downhill. Anna and I fell out of love and I had no thoughts of being with another woman. The idea repulsed me for some reason. I was away down south for a training course and I had a free evening and found my way into a bar and it turned out to be a gay bar. I wasn't looking for it, it wasn't intentional, it just happened by accident. I got talking with this young lad and we enjoyed each other's company. I can't even remember his name now. Anyway, I ended up back at his place. Events took their course and afterwards I felt released, I felt free after months of loneliness. It wasn't real, of course, but it gave me some satisfaction. Nothing else happened for ages after that, but a couple of months after Anna's accident, I went back looking for him. He wasn't there but I found someone else and then again every few months. It couldn't be more often because I had to be well away from Glasgow where no one knew me.”

  “Why, Bill? There's no stigma in being gay nowadays.”

  “Don't be naïve Alex. Being a senior police officer in Glasgow? Can you imagine? Do you think I'd ever have made ACC if it had been known? Besides all the work I do with children's charities. Can you imagine the stories?”

  “It shouldn't have made any difference.”

  “It shouldn't, but it would have. It does. Anyway, sitting alone almost every evening, I started using the internet for company. I found Stevenson's site by chance and I got suckered in. I've been watching how your investigation's been going so I realise that you already know how it worked. I've been able to follow your progress and I could tell you were closing in on me.”

  “The investigation's been kept under wraps”

  “Alex, for God's sake man, I'm in the command corridor, you can see just about everything that's happening from there. Anyhow, you know how Stevenson worked and this lad, Black. I was groomed, that's the only word for it, and I didn't have a clue. I met up with Kerr and I was so drawn in by the thought of having someone local I could see in private and more often than once every few months. Then I heard from Stevenson and it was like being hit by a hammer. My whole world imploded. He said he'd keep the photos under wraps if I took care of you. He said he hated you and wanted me to set something up to destroy you. I told him I wouldn't and he could do what he liked with me. He backed down and said he'd sort you himself and asked me for money instead. I'm not short, so I agreed. I shouldn't have because he knew he had me then. His demands started getting bigger and more often. I went to see him last week and we met at his shop. He demanded thousands and I told him I didn't have it. He said he knew I was treasurer of the Children's Cancer Charity and I was holding their money. He said he wanted it and it was up to me to cover it up, stage a robbery or something. I just totally lost it. I was prepared to give him what I had, the money meant nothing. But then he asked for the charity's money. It was the one really good thing I've been doing with my life and he wanted to ruin it. When I said no, he laughed at me and talked about how he'd ruin me and where would the charity be then. I completely saw red. I lifted the first thing that came to hand and drove it into him. It was sheer rage. I didn't know what I was doing until I'd done it. When I realised, I tried to cover up. I tried to clear away any evidence that I'd been there and I checked to ensure he didn't have anything in the shop which would have given me away. I disabled his security and removed the recording then I stripped his computer and cleaned up his office so I didn't leave any traces.”

  “Clear up one mystery for me, please. How did you get out without being spotted and without spreading blood?”

  “That would have been a problem if Stevenson didn't have a rack of vintage clothes. There was a lot of blood near the body and I didn't want it spread any further in case it could be seen from outside the shop, at least not until after I'd got away. I also didn't want to be seen leaving the shop covered in blood. I found some large-sized nineteen-sixties gear that fitted over my clothes and I changed shoes as well. If it hadn't been the West End, I'd probably have looked a bit out of place, but around there anything goes, and besides, my car was close by.

  “When I got out, I drove for a bit and then smeared mud on my number plates before heading over to Stevenson's house and I checked and cleared out anything incriminating I could find there.”

  “So much for Stevenson, why did you go after Kerr?”

  “I really don't know. I found Stevenson's indexing system in Black's house so I knew where to find Kerr. I suppose I wanted to be sure he'd keep quiet or maybe I just wanted to see him. I don't really know. It was after the charity dinner on Sunday night. I drove up and waited outside his door just to check him out. I saw him going into the flat and went to speak to him. He invited me in and said no one was at home. He led me towards his room and I followed. He told me he wanted money too. He didn't try to blackmail, me, not directly, but said he needed the money he'd been earning from Black to survive. He said he wanted me to make it up and maybe he'd be nice to me. He didn't state a threat, but I thought this is starting all over again. I couldn't stand the idea and it just happened. I was in my dress kilt outfit and I have an old Sgian-Dubh. It's the real thing, not one of these plastic replicas. It's sharp as a razor, passed down through my family for generations. I was so angry. I don't even remember it happening and then I saw he was dead in front of me.”

  “You mutilated the body?”

  “I don't remember anything about that.”

  “You cleared up any traces of being there?”

  “Yes, I remember being covered in blood. I've got rid of the whole outfit, burned it.”

  “Yes, but you had gloves and bootees.”

  “I had them in my Sporran.”

  “So you knew something was going to happen?”

  “I didn't know. I just went prepar
ed. You know me, always the boy-scout.”

  “What about Mrs Kerr? She'd done nothing to you.”

  “No, I'm so sorry about her. She wasn't meant to be there. I thought the house was empty, but she opened the door just as I was getting ready to leave. She saw who I was and she'd have remembered. I hadn't intended to hurt her but she'd seen me and would have recognised me again. I couldn't just let her go.”

  “It's all over now. Let the boy go. I'll try and help you all that I can.”

  “No, he stays with me. He's my passport out of here. I'll get down to Stranraer and take the ferry to Ireland. I'll let him go unharmed once I get there. Now give me your keys, and your phone. I won't hurt him if you do what I say.”

  Just at that point, Andrew's knees gave way, and despite Forbes grip on his shoulder, he slipped towards the ground.

  “I can't do that, Bill.” Alex stepped forward in an attempt to scoop up the child, but in an instant the blade flashed through the air slashing downwards. It narrowly missed his neck but caught his shoulder and cut through his jacket slicing into his chest and also catching his arm. If it hadn't been for the deflection off the leather, the force of the blow would very probably have reached his throat. Alex dropped to his knees, alongside his son, blood pouring from his wound.

  “I'm sorry, Alex, I didn't want to do that. Now give me the keys.”

  Bill's full attention was on Alex so he didn't see Sandra creep around behind him. Only seconds after he lunged at Alex, she released a karate kick to the rear of his thigh causing his leg to collapse and she immediately followed this by spinning round and delivering a straight arm jab directly to the centre of his face, instantly breaking his nose and rendering him unconscious. Sandra took a moment to check he was incapacitated and to retrieve the Sgian-Dubh before checking on Alex. To her relief, his injury didn't look life threatening, but he was bleeding profusely. She quickly removed her coat, stripped off her blouse and ripped it apart as a temporary dressing to stem the flow. As she tried to tend his wound, he pushed her away telling her to check on Andrew instead.

  She lifted Andrew to his feet and spoke softly, reassuring the boy as she walked him round the car to avoid him seeing the carnage while she removed the gag and blindfold. Andrew was unharmed although rather distressed from hearing but not seeing what had been going on.

  “Is Dad okay?” He cried in a very frightened whisper.

  “He's fine. He's had a bad cut but it's not serious. I'll take you to see him in a minute.” Sandra sat him into the back seat of the Santa Fe and told him to stay there. Then, leaving him alone, she went back to Forbes to look for the keys for the cuffs, which she found in his pocket. She next checked on Alex. He wanted to stand and asked for her assistance, but she persuaded him to stay put, although helped him to sit up, leaning against Forbes' car, with his jacket covering his wound. She returned and undid the cuffs and told Andrew to sit still for a moment longer while she went back to secure them on Forbes wrists, while he was still unconscious. She kept her promise and collected Andrew, bringing him round to see his father. Before she could stop him, Andrew threw himself forward wrapping his arms round his father's neck and she saw Alex wince trying to suppress a yelp. She pulled Andrew back and was about to phone for an ambulance when she heard the sirens announcing the imminent arrival of two police cars. So instead, she returned her attention to again check and tend Alex's injuries.

  “That's the second bloody jacket I've ruined in a day,” he complained as she neared him.

  The newly arrived police car had a first aid kit which was used to make a better dressing for his wound. Then the two officers manhandled Forbes and threw him into the back of their vehicle.

  They assisted Sandra in getting Alex to his feet and into the passenger seat of the Hyundai. Sandra made for the driver's seat and sped them across to Hairmyres Hospital, only a ten minute journey away. On the way, she phoned Helen to say that Andrew was fine and she should meet them at the hospital. Helen was relieved but worried at the same time.

  One hour later, Alex had received emergency treatment to stitch his wounds, and as the blade had scraped the wall of his lung, he had been admitted overnight as a precautionary measure. He was given a private, side room. Being a senior police officer had certain advantages.

  Andrew was thoroughly checked over and pronounced to be physically fit so he was released. His spirits made a remarkably quick recovery and he appeared to be not at all troubled by his earlier ordeal. He was more worried about his father, but once he'd confirmed that Alex was okay, his biggest issue was having missed attending the Clyde football match which Bill Forbes had enthused about and promised him. To make matters worse, he suffered further disappointment when he heard that yet again, Clyde had lost at home.

  Helen had been distraught on hearing about Alex's injury and what a close call both he and Andrew had had. She'd been unable to reach Craig and not wanting to panic him had left a text for him to call her, but hadn't yet received a reply. She'd have liked to have stayed longer with Alex at the hospital, but knew her first priority was to get Andrew safely home and settled and to inform Craig what had happened. She'd eyed Sandra with some suspicion. She seemed unconvinced about how Sandra happened to be there with Alex and available to help rescue Andrew. She nevertheless, was very grateful.

  Several other police officers came by to check on Alex and hear what had happened and it was some time before the room cleared, leaving Alex and Sandra alone.

  They were both elated that in the space of only a few days, they had solved three murders, apprehended the assailant, and in the process they had also broken a blackmail crime-ring bringing to light a series of other offences involving some very senior figures. Thinking more on a personal level, he looked up and smiled at her. “It seems every time we try to go back to my place some emergency comes between us. Maybe someone's trying to tell us something?”

  “I think they're telling us we need to meet somewhere else,” she replied as she closed the privacy curtain around the bed, opened her rain jacket and leaned over to kiss Alex on the lips.

  In the distance a phone rang, summoning someone else to another emergency.

  End

  Author note

  Thank you for reading Made a Killing, I hope you enjoyed it. If so, I would be very grateful if you'd leave me a rating and review of the book.

  If you have any comments or feedback you'd like to make more directly then please email me at: zachabrams@authorway.net

  Also by Zach Abrams

  Ring Fenced

  If you think your life's complicated, then spare a thought for Benjamin who obsessively juggles and controls his five independent personae, until …Ring Fenced is Zach Abrams first novel. A story about power, control and obsession

  One man, five lives, ring-fenced and separated,

  Bennie, loving husband and father,

  Benjie, youngest son of orthodox Jewish parents,

  Ben, successful corporate banker,

  Benjamin, millionaire author and publisher of pornography

  and Jamie, part-time lover of a beautiful musician.

  Relying on his Blackberry to keep all his personae separate, his life is perfect.

  But what if holes begin to appear in the divisions?

  When a sequence of events throws his life into chaos, his separate words collide with explosive consequences.

  [This book contains content of an adult nature with use of sexual swear words and depictions of sexual encounters. It is unsuitable for young readers and it may be offensive to some readers of all ages.]

  The Alex Warren Murder Mystery Series

  A Measure of Trouble

  A cold, bleak February morning in Central Scotland commences with the discovery of a body. Chief Executive, Hector Mathewson is found dead within the cask room of his own distillery. DCI Alex Warren needs to balance his own turbulent personal life while directing the hunt for the murderer. There are suspects aplenty with motives ranging from greed, n
ationalism, adultery and revenge.

  Available at Amazon UK or Amazon US

  Written to Death

  Writing isn't usually considered a dangerous pursuit - but perhaps think again - Sheila Armstrong, a leading member of Eastfarm Writers' group is stabbed to death, on stage, in a school, while rehearsing. The death mimics the plot of the play they'd been rehearsing.

  DCI Alex Warren and his girlfriend, DI Sandra McKinnon, return from a short holiday, but hardly manage to step from the plane before he's called to investigate the suspicious death.

  Within hours, Sandra is roped into investigating a series of crimes which appear to be mob-related.

  Both their enquiries run in parallel as they struggle to make progress while supporting each other professionally and emotionally.

  Available at Amazon UK or Amazon US

  SOURCE; A Fast-Paced Financial Crime Thriller

  A novel investigating financial crime and sabotage within the banking sector

  Tom is an accomplished journalist and lead features writer at Global Weekly's London office. He's an unhappily married workaholic seeking to advance his career.

  Sally is single, ambitious and independent. Visiting from Australia, she's chasing the same story.

  Each is eager to research alleged wrongdoings at Royal National Bank, exposed by a series of whistleblower revelations. RNB is one of the largest and strongest financial institutions in the world, or it was. There have been several incidents within a period of weeks. The effect has rocked the bank to its core, causing its share price to tumble and world stock markets to ripple. International economic stability is at risk.